Responding to the latest NHS England guidance on “Preparing the NHS for the potential impact of the Omicron variant and other winter pressures”, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said:

“Despite the multiple pressures facing the NHS this winter – not least the rapid acceleration of the covid booster programme – it is absolutely essential that non-Covid services are able to continue in the NHS, and the independent sector represents an important way of enabling that care to safely continue.

“As made clear by NHS England this week, it is critical that local NHS systems now turbo-charge their use of independent sector capacity and the green-pathways it provides – ensuring that vital NHS scans and operations can continue this winter and helping avoid NHS waiting lists getting out of control.”